Molecular and Cell Biological Characterization of Patient‐Derived Head and Neck Squamous Carcinoma Cell Lines

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a major cancer among head and neck malignancies with a limited availability of effective molecularly targeted therapies. The underlying oncogenic mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood. To investigate patient-specific molecular targets, we established patient-derived cell (PDC) lines from surgically resected HNSCC tissue samples. We performed comprehensive analyses, including driver gene mutation profiling using a multigene panel, transcriptomic profiling, and karyotyping. Various cancer-associated genomic alterations, primarily copy number gains, were identified, and these findings were consistent with those of previous studies. Notably, the amplification of EGFR, FGFR2, and CCND1 was associated with their overexpression, suggesting potential tumor driver roles. A PDC with a PIK3CA activating mutation was sensitive to the PI3K inhibitor Alpelisib. We also demonstrated that PDCs harboring chromosome segregation errors were vulnerable to KIF18A deletion and pharmacological inhibition. These results support the value of HNSCC-derived PDCs as a platform for advances in precision medicine in oncology research.